What does the saying “Buy salt in the beginning of the year, buy lime at the end of the year” really mean?

Every Lunar New Year, the elderly often mention the phrase "Buy salt at the beginning of the year, buy lime at the end of the year". However, not everyone fully understands the meaning behind this custom. This article will provide a detailed explanation for you.

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For a long time, the saying “Buy salt at the beginning of the year, buy lime at the end of the year” has become one of the cultural beauties of Vietnamese families.

1. Meaning of the custom “Buying salt at the beginning of the year”

Folk belief states that salt, with its white color, represents purity, cleanliness, and crystallization. Salt also symbolizes the deep and intense affection of a couple. Therefore, buying salt at the beginning of the year expresses the desire for the entire family to be closer, for children and parents to love each other, and for husband and wife to live in harmony.

Moreover, the salt’s salty taste can dispel evil spirits, ward off bad luck, and bring abundance of luck in the new year.

Currently, in many localities across Vietnam, especially in the Northern Delta, people still maintain the tradition of buying salt on the first day or after New Year’s Eve. They believe that buying salt at the beginning of the year will bring luck to the family and create a warm and harmonious family atmosphere.

According to feng shui, “buying salt at the beginning of the year” holds several meanings:

  • Dispelling negative energy for the whole year: Fill a bowl or glass with salt up to 3/4, place 6 coins in a circular shape on top of the salt, with the yang side of the coins facing up, to create a feng shui salt bowl to attract luck.
  • On the first day of the new year: Place a small bag of salt in your wallet to ensure luck, prosperity, and abundance of money throughout the year.
  • For those in business: In addition to putting salt in the bag of money, also place a bag of salt at the store counter to attract luck and wealth.
  • For long-distance travelers: Put a bag of salt in your luggage or hang it in your car for a safe and lucky journey.
  • Feng shui experts suggest that when homeowners buy salt at the beginning of the year and want to attract abundant wealth in the new year, the best position to place the salt bowl is the southeast corner of the house, as this is the position of the Wealth sector.
  • In case homeowners wish to pray for the health of the family, it is reasonable to place a incense burner in the east direction of the ancestral altar. Moreover, feng shui experts also recommend changing the salt bowl once every 2 months.

2. Meaning of the custom “Buying lime at the end of the year”

“Buying lime at the end of the year” is a way to build and decorate houses, making them clean and bright to welcome a new year full of hope. Lime is also used to cover up the traces of the previous year, to fix mistakes, and to restore what has been lost.

In addition, buying lime at the end of the year is also a way to prepare lime for the “lime guardian”, a tool used for eating betel nut in the past. However, people only put lime for the guardian at the end of the year, avoiding adding lime at the beginning of the year because they fear that it will turn everything into “white as lime”.

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